1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical board-to-board connectors, and more particularly to grounding structures of electrical board-to-board connectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrical board-to-board connector assembly generally includes a pair of plug and receptacle connectors respectively mounted on two spaced PC boards. The plug and receptacle connectors are adapted to mate with each other for mechanical and electrical interconnection therebetween. Conventional board-to-board connector assemblies are generally used in low-speed transmission environments where signal noise and electromagnetic interference (EMI) are not very critical. Thus, such assemblies generally have no specific shielding or grounding contacts for removing noise and EMI therefrom. Recently, to meet the increasing use of high-speed transmission, some modified board-to-board connector assemblies have been developed. Some contacts of these modified assemblies are used as grounding contacts. The grounding contacts engage with shields of one of the connectors, for removal of EMI generated thereon.
An example of such a modified connector assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,976. Shields of a plug connector are attached on side walls of a housing of the plug connector, and are selectively connected to some contacts of the plug connector. Each shield has an engagement arm. Correspondingly, a number of grounding contacts are disposed in a housing of the receptacle connector. The grounding contacts engage the engagement arm of the shields, and connect with corresponding contacts of the receptacle connector. Thus, EMI and noise are dissipated to ground through the shields and the grounding contacts. However, since the shields are attached on outer sides of side walls of the housing of the plug connector, and since the grounding contacts are inserted into the engagement arms of the shields, the shields are prone to separate from the side walls of the housing of the plug connector when the plug and receptacle connectors are mated with each other. This is due to pushing force of the grounding contacts acting on the engagement arms of the shields. When such separation occurs, the grounding connections between the shields and the grounding contacts are rendered useless.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a board-to-board electrical connector having grounding contacts that engage shields on side walls of a housing of the connector such that reliable and durable grounding connections are established.
To achieve the above object, a board-to-board electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of signal contacts, a plurality of grounding contacts, and a pair of shields. The insulative housing includes a central island and a pair of side walls. The central island has a plurality of passageways for receiving the signal and grounding contacts therein. The shields are attached on the side walls. The grounding contacts are interspersed among the signal contacts. Each grounding contact has a securing portion extending upwardly from a tail portion thereof. The securing portion engages an outer face of the corresponding shield and pushes the shield against the corresponding side wall.